One of the foundational elements of a successful medical marketing strategy is a blog. In fact, 92% of companies acquired a customer through their blog and businesses that blog have 434 more indexed webpages than those who do not. That means 434 more chances to get found online by potential patients.

Blogging is not just about sharing information. It is about creating original written content that resonates with a target audience and generates engagement. Engagement can happen in the form of sharing, commenting, liking, emailing and even calling the practice.

With a blog, you generate traffic to your website. This means improved search engine rankings and more targeted keywords to help you get found online.

Blogging is one of the most effective ways to connect with prospective patients online, however the information you provide should be of value to the reader. If the content provides no value, readers will disengage.

Here are five tips to help you build a successful blogging strategy.

1. Determine your target audience – This is a very important step to successful blog writing. Is your goal to have your blog read by perspective patients, doctors, or other healthcare professionals? Knowing the answer to this will help determine your voice. You should not write a blog targeted for patients the same way you would write one for a doctor.  The average reader is not going to understand most medical terminology. Your blog writing style should account for this.
2. Post frequently – There is no doubt about it, blog writing takes time. You will not see much return on your investment if you do not blog frequently. The experts recommend writing a minimum of once a week to build consistency. This number can vary depending on specialty and competition.
3. Blog for the long term – Blog writing is not going to grow your practice overnight. It takes a time to build a following. Be patient and be persistent with your efforts.
4. Master your niche – Create a niche for your content. Figure out how you are going to differentiate your content from others in the industry. Build a name for yourself and your practice by providing accurate, well-written content and share it with the world on a variety of different sites.
5. Get creative with titles – A catchy title can mean the difference between your blog being read or not. Your title is also what shows up on search engines. Make sure it grabs the readers’ attention and has relevant keywords to boost SEO ranking.

The commitment to writing a blog for your medical practice is one that should be taken seriously and given proper attention. Try to enjoy the process of blog writing as your emotions come through in the words of each post. With time and proper distribution your blog will develop a following as well as generate new patients for your practice. Don’t have time to write? We can help!